London has a chocolate shortcut to childhood memories. In Notting Hill, Melt Chocolates runs a beginner-friendly chocolate bonbon class with a trained chocolatier, blending tasting, learning, and hands-on making in a small group. I love the practical, step-by-step feel and the fact you get real attention with a cap of 10 people.

One thing to consider: this may feel more like guided assembly than fully making every chocolate component from scratch. In fact, one guest criticized the experience as more basic than advertised, noting the bonbon shells were premade, with participants doing filling and melting rather than starting from raw ingredients.

Melt’s Amazing Bonbons in Notting Hill: nostalgia with a chocolatier’s touch

This is a chocolate workshop that leans into emotion, not just technique. The idea is to use chocolate to bring your six senses into play, then turn those sensory triggers into your own bespoke bonbons.

You’ll be guided to connect tastes, smells, and even memories to the flavors and scents you choose. The experience is described as a well-being style session with a feeling of togetherness, which matches the overall vibe: friendly, unhurried, and focused on enjoyment.

If you’re the type who likes chocolate, but also likes learning the why behind it, you’ll probably have fun here. You’re not just eating your way through London; you’re creating a small box of edible souvenirs at the end.

How the 2-hour session is paced (and what you actually do)

The whole class runs about 2 hours, and it keeps moving so you don’t get stuck waiting around. The format is designed for beginners, with a clear progression: learn chocolate, taste, then make your own bonbons.

You start at 59 Ledbury Rd, London W11 2AA, and the activity ends back at the meeting point. That means you’re not spending your evening hopping across the city just to finish a chocolate project.

Expect a typical flow like this:

You’ll hear about what makes good chocolate, sample different types, and pick up insider tips for working with chocolate in real life. Then you’ll create your custom bonbons and pack them to take home.

Your first stop: chocolate tasting and learning the building blocks

Before you start building, you’ll get context. The class includes learning about chocolates and sampling different types, which is more useful than it sounds.

Why? Because chocolate is not one thing. The same “chocolate” can behave very differently depending on what’s in it and how it’s handled, and tasting first helps you understand what you’re aiming for when you make your own.

You’ll also get the chocolatier’s secrets and tips, the kind that usually never make it into cookbooks. Even if you’re not an aspiring pastry chef, these small pointers can improve how your finished bonbons look and taste.

This is also where you’ll likely learn what “working with chocolate” means in practice, including chocolate in forms like molten, flaked, or tempered. That matters because the class isn’t only about flavor—it’s about texture and that satisfying snap when you bite.

The six-sense concept: choosing flavors and scents for bespoke bonbons

Here’s where the experience gets distinctive. Instead of only picking a classic flavor like dark or milk, you choose sensory flavors and scents that connect to childhood memories.

The examples given are very specific, which helps you decide what to build:

• Clementines might cue that bright, nostalgic orange moment.
• Pine can suggest a Mediterranean seaside memory tied to smell.
• Fire links to a camping style memory, like making s’mores around a tent.

The promise of “six senses” is a bit poetic, but it also makes the class more playful. You’re thinking about how scent works with taste, not just what ingredients you like.

If you’re someone who loves personalization, you’ll enjoy how this turns chocolate making into a story you can eat. If you’re more practical, you can treat it like a guided flavor-matching exercise with a bit of psychology.

Either way, the sensory approach gives your bonbons a theme. And themes make gifts better, even if the gift is just for you.

Making your bonbons: from shells to your finished take-home box

When hands-on time starts, you’ll be making bonbons in Notting Hill with the goal of taking home a box of your own handmade chocolates. The class is described as beginner-friendly, and the small group size supports that.

That said, you should know what “beginner-friendly” can mean in the real world. One guest felt the shells were premade and that the “making” was closer to filling and finishing. Another person said it involved filling bonbon shells, eating chocolate, and learning about chocolate rather than doing a full production-style workshop.

So plan for a guided process where you actively participate, but not necessarily where you start from raw cocoa and end with a finished bonbon shell you molded yourself. You might do things like melting chocolate and assembling your bonbons under instruction.

The upside of this approach is you’re more likely to leave with something that looks good and tastes great. The downside is you may feel you didn’t do enough of the behind-the-scenes labor.

Bottom line: if you want a relaxing, guided way to make and learn, this fits. If you’re chasing a hardcore chocolatier production experience, you may find it too “light.”

Why the small group size matters (and how it changes the experience)

The class caps at 10 travelers, which is a big deal for something hands-on like this. When groups are small, you spend less time watching and more time getting real-time feedback.

In a chocolate workshop, feedback isn’t just nice—it’s practical. Melting, tempering, and assembly steps can go wrong if you don’t know what you’re looking for, and a small group makes it easier to correct course quickly.

It also changes the vibe. Instead of feeling like you’re in a demo, you’re treated like a participant. That can be especially helpful if you’re new to chocolate work and don’t want to feel silly asking basic questions.

Some of the best reviews focus on friendliness and that personal attention feel. The staff being approachable is not an afterthought here—it’s part of why beginners seem to enjoy the class.

Notting Hill as the setting: a nice match for a chocolate workshop

The location is Notting Hill, with the meeting point on Ledbury Road. This is one of those London neighborhoods where walking around before or after feels easy, without turning the whole evening into transit stress.

Also, being near public transportation is practical. You’re not building your schedule around getting from point A to point B the hard way, and that matters when you’re spending time doing a timed workshop.

If you’re planning your day, I’d treat this as an anchor activity. Do it earlier, so you still have room afterward for a relaxed stroll and a proper dinner.

Price and value: is $75.26 worth it for a 2-hour class?

$75.26 per person is not cheap, so the value depends on what you want from the time.

If you want a guided, beginner-friendly chocolate experience where you learn some fundamentals, taste different chocolates, and leave with a personalized box, you may feel it’s fair. You’re paying for the trained chocolatier instruction, the small group size, and the materials used to create take-home bonbons.

If you expect a very technical, full production workshop where you create everything from scratch, you may feel disappointed. That mismatch shows up in lower ratings where guests said the class didn’t deliver the kind of “real making” they thought they were buying.

So here’s the value math I’d use:

You’re paying for an experience that compresses learning plus making into a short 2-hour window, in a neighborhood that’s pleasant to visit. If you’ll enjoy chocolate tasting and want the guided “how,” the price may make sense.

If you’re price-sensitive or already comfortable with chocolate making at home, consider whether you want something more intensive or more craft-heavy.

Who should book Melt’s Amazing Bonbons class (and who should skip it)

I think this works best for:

• Beginners who want a fun introduction to bonbons without needing kitchen experience.
• Chocolate lovers who enjoy tasting and learning, not just eating.
• People who like personalization and want a themed box tied to scents and childhood memories.
• Anyone who prefers small-group attention rather than a large, fast demo.

I’d be more cautious if:

• You specifically want to make every component from scratch.
• You’re expecting a highly technical tempering or confectionery bootcamp.
• You’re the kind of person who gets frustrated when parts of a workshop are simplified for beginners.

It’s also a solid choice if you want a London activity that feels original but doesn’t require much planning. The mobile ticket and simple start/end make it easier to fit into a day.

Should you book Melt’s Amazing Bonbons in Notting Hill?

Yes, if your goal is a friendly, small-group chocolate class that ends with a take-home box and a real chance to learn some practical chocolatier tricks. The sensory memory angle is genuinely memorable, and it gives your bonbons a personal meaning beyond flavor alone.

Just go in with the right expectations about what “making” means. From the feedback, it sounds like you’ll actively participate, but some components may be prepared ahead. If that sounds like a dealbreaker, you might want to look for a more intensive workshop style.

If you’re excited by chocolate tasting, scent-based creativity, and the chance to leave with a custom box, this is the kind of London experience that turns ordinary shopping for chocolate into an actual story you can hold in your hands.

FAQ

Where is the meeting point for Melt’s Amazing Bonbons in Notting Hill?

The class meets at 59 Ledbury Rd, London W11 2AA, UK. The activity ends back at the meeting point.

How long is the bonbon making class?

The experience lasts about 2 hours.

What group size should I expect?

The maximum group size is 10 travelers.

What will I take home at the end?

You’ll leave with a box of handmade chocolate bonbons that you made during the class.

Is the class beginner-friendly?

Yes. The workshop is described as beginner-friendly and designed to be accessible for those learning chocolate making.

What is the cancellation/refund window?

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the experience’s start time. Confirmation is received at booking, and free cancellation is listed as available.

You Might Also Enjoy

Layover Tour of London from LHR Executive Luxurious Vehicle Private Tour 6 hourPrivate Cotswolds and Stratford upon AvonRAF Hendon Museum Private TourGhost Bus Tour of York